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Sorrow for a Champion
Note to the Reader All of the following characters are mine and cannot be used without permission from me. If you ask to use any of them, I'll probably say yes. You just have to say which one and which fanfic they're going to be in. Okeedokee? Secondly, if ANY of the characters in this fanfic share a name with someone else's character (non-canon characters, I mean) it is totally an accident and a coincidence. Also, most importantly, I hope you like this fanfic. :D - Misty P.S. If there is a spelling mistake, or grammatical error, or some category that is required, please feel free to edit this! But otherwise, DO NOT EDIT. Thank you! :) - Misty Characters Crimson - SkyWing and IceWing hybrid, dark red dragoness with frostbreath instead of fire Silver - Crimson's brother, silver and blue dragon with fire instead of frostbreath Snowdrift - IceWing prince, blue with white rimmed scales Cardinal - SkyWing dragoness, dark orange Firethorn - SkyWing queen, sparkling red dragoness Petrel - SkyWing princess, orange Tamarack - sleek black NightWing/RainWing dragoness Thornstep - NightWing/SkyWing dragon '' Fallenshadow - ''mysterious NightWing/IceWing/SandWing/RainWing hybrid (Mother was a NightWing/IceWing, Father was a SandWing/RainWing) Slippery - scrawny IceWing ambassador Icefall - elegant but old IceWing queen Bloodstone - dark red SkyWing prince Thornbill - dark orange SkyWing gladiator trainer Firn - dark silver IceWing peasant Viridian - dark green SeaWing Cyan - cyan SeaWing Sableshade - young NightWing, mind-reading abilities Jerboa - SandWing, burly and muscular Prologue "Two dragonets," Snowdrift murmured. "Our ''dragonets," Cardinal corrected him. "And the male looks just like you." Snowdrift blinked and looked at his son. The newly-hatched dragonet had silver and blue scales just like he did, and his small horns had the same white frost patterns etched into them. "His name should be Silver," Cardinal sighed. "I've always wanted a Silver." "And Crimson would be perfect for the female," Snowdrift said, nodding to his daughter. Crimson was a beautiful dark red, unlike her mother, who was a soft orange colour. "Crimson and Silver," Cardinal sighed a second time. "Perfect names. Don't you think, Petrel?" She turned to look at the orange SkyWing princess, who was seated at the cave entrance, 'keeping watch'. Petrel didn't answer right away, and Cardinal's eyes grew concerned. "Are you all right, Petrel?" "I'm fine," Petrel said in a choked voice. Snowdrift and Cardinal exchanged glances, but before either of hem could speak, Petrel continued. "I-I am so sorry." She lifted her head, still facing away from them. "You shouldn't have trusted me." Snowdrift's eyes widened. "Petrel - " The princess, the one other dragon who knew their forbidden marriage, spread her vast wings and took off into the night sky. Several tears dropped to the rock strewn floor. And that was when the SkyWings erupted into the cave. Red and orange scales gleamed alongside sharpened claws and teeth. The two dragons were pinned to the ground in mere moments, and their dragonets trembled against each other. Snowdrift unleashed a helpless roar, and the SkyWings laughed amongst themselves. A high, cruel voice echoed through the cavern. "Cardinal, you are under arrest," Queen Firethorn hissed. "What for?" Cardinal cried to the merciless dragon. "Isn't obvious?" Firethorn asked, her tongue flicking in and out. "Here is the scenario: you are meeting, in secret and ''against orders, ''with an ''IceWing. Need I remind you that you are a SkyWing?" "Leave her alone!" Snowdrift growled at her. Firethorn's amber eyes widened with mock dismay. "And this is Prince Snowdrift ''the ''animus? Even worse. I am ashamed of you, Cardinal. Cavorting around with a prince? Someone who is obviously higher in the pecking order than you will ever be? A First Circle dragon?" Crimson and Silver let out little squeaks and squeals, tense and staring. Firethorn and the other SkyWings snarled in horror at them. "SkyWing and IceWing dragonets?" said one. "Who has ever heard of such a thing?" Firethorn roared with real anger this time. Crimson edged closer to Cardinal, who tried to look as comforting as possible. "Don't worry, Crimson. Be brave for your brother." "Swilver?" Crimson peeped. In any other circumstance this would have swelled Snowdrift's heart with pride, but right now it just made him ache with dismay. "Silver and Crimson? You've named them already?" Firethorn let out another soft hiss. "Nevermind. Snowdrift may be returned to the Ice Kingdom unscathed - I'm not his queen, but I'm sure that Icefall would love to deal with you. But Cardinal," the SkyWing queen turned her malicious gaze to the orange dragoness, "you must answer for your crimes. Guards," she said in a loud voice, "Take this...this excuse for a SkyWing ''to the prison. And take these dragonets to the arena." "What!? No!" Snowdrift roared. "You heard me right, IceWing. Your dragonets are going to the very arena that my great-great-great-great grandmother created. And then her insipid daughter Ruby decided to turn it into a ''hospital...disgusting. But at least we have it for better uses now!" Firethorn clapped her talons together, smoke billowing from her flared nostrils. "How thrilling ''this is going to be." Chapter One - ''A Few Weeks Later... "No, I do not ''want to negotiate any trades with Icefall," Firethorn snarled at the hideous IceWing ambassador from the top of her throne. "She can have the sniveling wretch Snowdrift but ''not ''the dragonets. Am I clear?" "Silver and Crimson are legal citizens under Queen Icefall's rule," the ambassador said, but is sounded more like "please shred my scales" to Firethorn. "You aren't even going to send Silver and Crimson into the arena. They are a waste of resources and room." "Silver and Crimson are also half ''Sky''Wing," Firethorn growled. She traced an ornate pattern on one of the velvet cushions beneath her with one of her hooked claws, wishing that it was the ambassador that she was clawing instead. "Icefall doesn't seem to understand that. Though it is a pity that Silver looks so much like an IceWing..." "That is ''Queen ''Icefall to you," the ambassader sniffed. The two SkyWing guards flanking Firethorn stiffened, talons clenched as they waited for her orders. But the ambassador seemed completely unaware that he was moments away from dying where he stood. "If you refuse to surrender the two dragonets, then we will take them by force." "You are in no place to be giving threats, IceWing." Firethorn allowed smoke to billow from her nostrils as she glowered at the ambassador. "The dragonets stay with me. And I suggest that you remove yourself from this hall before you befoul it with more of your insolent language." The ambassador opened and closed his jaws, as if he wanted to say something, but then he wisely decided to clamp his mouth shut. "You have been warned," he said after a few moments of deciding not to say anything, and then he was escorted out of the hall. Firethorn released a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. "I am going to execute nine prisoners after that useless 'peace talk'," she snorted. "I don't have time for dragons that can't stomach the obvious. Icefall's age must be catching up to her if she's starting to send creatures like ''that ''to talk to real queens." "Your Majesty," a young SkyWing said, popping his head around the corner. "Ambassador Slippery has just departed the palace." "Thank you, Prince Bloodstone," Firethorn said to her son. He bowed respectfully, and she continued. "Find nine prisoners - preferably IceWings, if we have any left - and arrange some gladiator fights. I have had enough pathetic conversations for one day." She licked her lips at the thought of bloody arena battles. That would make this bad day end well, at least. "As you wish, Your Majesty," Bloodstone said, bowing again. Chapter Two - ''Five Years Later... "Here you are, darling," Queen Firethorn said over breakfast, smiling toothily (and ferociously) as she slid a beautifully wrapped package across the low set table. Etched in the wrapping (which was expensive golden silk) was the name Crimson ''in an elegant handwriting. "Thank you, Mother," Crimson said politely. ''Please say it's not ''another ''schedule for arena fights, ''her mind went on. But she knew better than to say it aloud. Unlike her mother, who seemed to adore blood and death and gruesome things like that, Crimson enjoyed more quiet things...perhaps a scroll about adventure, or a quick flight around the mountain to loosen one's wings after a long day. "And here is a present for my favourite sister," Bloodstone said. He set another gold-silk wrapped package on the table in front of her. Petrel glared at Crimson, her cold amber eyes resembling fire-coloured ice. Crimson wondered why her older sister was so unpleasant to her all the time; she always managed to find the perfect time to point out something about Crimson's strange powers, like how she had frostbreath instead of fire and the ability to shatter mirrors just by looking at them. Mother's present turned out to be a slate of quartz, with an arena schedule scrawled into it. Crimson wished that she could smash it into a thousand pieces, but she merely said, "I can't wait, Mother!" with an enthusiastic trill in her voice. Bloodstone's gift was - she wanted to pummel him - a mirror, which broke, as expected, when she looked at it. "Now, now," Firethorn said disapprovingly, lemony smile falling back into the usual snarl. "I thought we talked about not giving Crimson mirrors, or anything reflective. It is quite embarrassing." Bloodstone gave the queen a cheeky wink. "Sorry. I forgot. Silver inlaid mirrors are all the rage in the Sky Kingdom." ''Oh, please, ''Crimson told him silently. ''You know how much I hate it when - '' Her thoughts broke off as Mother clapped her talons together. "Now that breakfast is finished, let us go down to the arena! There is a new champion I want to introduce...a new kind of dragon that we've never seen before! Isn't that ''thrilling?" Whatever you say, Mother, ''Crimson thought boredly. ''I might even die of boredom it's that 'thrilling'. Chapter Three The queen's balcony was a bit lower than Queen Scarlet's had been, and the arena was a few dragonlengths wider. It was able to fit twice as many SkyWings as before. The prisoner system was close to the same - tall spires surrounding the arena, except the prisoners were only chained to their spire and not to the another's as well, so that if one fell off their spire somehow it wouldn't affect the others. Crimson shifted uncomfortably, wondering if her mother would notice if she fell asleep. She didn't want her ears to ring again with the sound of dying dragons, as they always did when she was forced to watch the entertainment. Bloodstone, however, looked excited; he was with his three friends and talking about the gladiators. She risked a glance at the slate engraved with matches. The first match marked down was 'Jerboa the SandWing and Silver the IceWing with Fire.' The IceWing with ''fire? Crimson stared at the slate. It must be a mistake...unless, of course, 'Silver' was a hybrid dragon. ''Maybe his egg was animus cursed as well, ''she thought hopefully. She turned to ask her mother about it, but then Thornbill, the SkyWing gladiator trainer and arena manager, came bustling out of the crowd and onto the sands of the arena. "Welcome, SkyWings!" his voice boomed throughout the entirety of the arena as he flapped his gigantic wings to get the crowd's attention. "To celebrate Princess Crimson's fifth hatching day, we have a ''thrilling ''-" he glanced quickly at Queen Firethorn, who nodded approvingly "- day packed with gladiator fights! First we have a special treat...Jerboa of the SandWings and Silver of the IceWings, he with the breath of fire!" Crimson frowned curiously as Thornbill gestured to the SkyWing guards to release the gladiators. Jerboa was a huge, muscular SandWing (not at all like what his name suggested), webbed with scars and with tattered wings. He bared his teeth at Silver... ...Crimson gasped. Silver was unlike any IceWing she had ever seen. He had the same kind of scale colour, of course - blue, silver and white - and his tail was spiked, but his neck had the same elegant curve of...of a ''SkyWing. ''He lacked the ruff of IceWing horns, and had instead the two twisting horns of a SkyWing, and a long tail. And smoke curled out of his flared nostrils. ''He looks my age, ''Crimson thought despite herself. There was something ''familiar ''about him, though she was sure she had never seen him before. It felt as though she seen him in a dream, or some long ago memory. Her heart fluttered like a tiny caged bird, and she clenched the railing to keep herself from swooping down to stop the fight. Silver circled Jerboa, pearly teeth bared and wings outstretched to make himself appear larger. Jerboa had to twist awkwardly around to keep him in a line of sight. And that was when Silver struck. It was amazing, fast and brilliant. Silver raked his long, serrated claws down Jerboa's back, just before bathing the SandWing's head with fire. The burly dragon roared with pain and fury, and his barbed tail lashed blindly in a vain hope to catch Silver across the chest. But the strange IceWing was too nimble, too quick, and he dodged neatly, but not until he swung his own tail at Jerboa's flank. The SandWing hissed and rolled away, regaining his balance. Even from her position, Crimson could see that he was wincing and fighting the urge to press his claws against his burned face. She held her breath, silently hoping against all hopes that Silver would survive. She was distracted when she noticed that the Queen was watching her intently. "What is the matter, my dear?" Firethorn smiled toothily; a smile that never reached her cold eyes. It was like trying to stare at a blizzard. "Uh...um...nothing. I was just...impressed with Silver's battle moves." Crimson tried to mask her desperation and fear by turning back to the match. Jerboa had managed to claw Silver's forearm. It looked shallow but seemed to be causing Silver a lot of pain. It seemed almost impossible. For years Crimson had wondered why she wasn't like other SkyWings. She had always thought that she was cursed from hatching. But this was too much of a coincidence. ''I am half IceWing. '' And Silver was as well. Chapter Four Silver angrily shook blood from his eyes. ''I'll get you for that, ''he vowed silently to the snarling SandWing. Jerboa leered and sprung forwards, claws outstretched. Silver dodged at the last moment and retaliated with a nip at Jerboa's shoulder. Hot red blood spurted from the wound and Jerboa's leer vanished as he retreated to the far corner of the arena. Silver hissed and advanced slowly as SkyWings shouted with a mixture of glee and dismay. Some of them would be losing bets, and things were not looking good for the supporters of Jerboa. A tiny voice stirred at the back of his mind. ''Should I do this? Killing the SandWing would be the simplest course to take. But it would be the first dragon he would have killed, and, though he hated Jerboa for inflicting these infuriating and painful wounds on him, he also didn't want to see the SandWing die. Maybe I don't have to... Silver raised his head and looked at the royal family's balcony. One of the princesses, an unusual-looking dark red SkyWing, was leaning over the rail, watching him anxiously. Queen Firethorn was watching with cool indifference, and one of her other daughters was examining her claws, boredom etched into her face. Jerboa took this moment of hesitation to strike. Even though his burns and other lacerations were taxing his strength, he was still as quick as a viper. The deadly, barbed tail arched menacingly and stabbed down at Silver, who rolled away just in time. His heart hammered in his throat as he saw the furious mass of bloodied scales run towards him, venomous tail lashing and teeth bared. I don't have a choice. No. There was always a choice. I can't make this decision by myself! '' He was saved the trouble of choosing by a large, colossal explosion. Chapter Five Crimson shielded her eyes with her claws as she squinted up at the sun. Nothing was harmed; it took her a moment to realize that the explosion was rather an explosion of sound, not of movement. A platoon of rigid IceWings was streaking across the horizon, wings flared and eyes flashing in the morning sun. The IceWing in front was an adult male, much older than Crimson, and he was adorned with silver jewellery. "For my dragonets!" the silver-laden IceWing roared to his companions. SkyWings screamed with confusion as chaos erupted around them. The platoon disbanded and headed in opposite directions; one headed to the Sky Palace, another flew down to the crowd, and yet another dove to the ground, where a huddle of small SkyWing dragonets huddled. Firethorn hissed and narrowed her eyes. "Prince Snowdrift. What a ''pleasant ''surprise." Snowdrift growled in return as he landed on the balcony. "I've come for my dragonets and Cardinal. Where are they?" Firethorn shifted. "You'll never find them." Snowdrift roared and clenched the stone beneath him. His horned tail lashed. Crimson backed away slowly, timidly. She grimaced when her claws knocked a pebble to the side; the small skittering made Snowdrift snap his head around. "Who are ''you?" he exclaimed, as if she had just dropped from the sky. A malicious light appeared in Firethorn's amber eyes. "Now, isn't this ''interesting," she said silkily. "The father doesn't even recognize his own daughter. Tsk, tsk." Crimson's heart skipped a beat. ''What? "Crimson? Crimson? Is that you?" Snowdrift took a step towards her. "Where's Silver? Are you alright? Where's Cardinal?" Crimson's mind whirled with confusion. Firstly, this random IceWing happened to be her father, and secondly, he knew about Silver, a practically meaningless gladiator. And lastly, who in the three moons was Cardinal!? "Um...I don't know what you're talking about," Crimson said, shuffling back a few more feet. "Who's Cardinal? What's Silver got to do with this?" Snowdrift hesitated. Several curious and brave SkyWings crept up around the balcony, ears and eyes alert with curiosity. "This isn't really the place, or the time..." Snowdrift bared his teeth at a hesitant SkyWing guard. Firethorn exhaled with exasperation. "Of course it isn't. You come blundering in here after half a decade to rescue two dragonets and a woe-begotten mate, forgetting that you are vastly outnumbered. I suggest you take your little...rescue mission ''off my land, or there will be severe consequences." There was a crash as Bloodstone landed next to his mother and Petrel, who had been to startled to move over the last few minutes. "What is this all about?" he hissed, baring his fangs at Snowdrift. "That's what I want to know," Petrel growled. "Why don't we kill the stupid IceWing and get on with the festivities?" Snowdrift went suddenly rigid with horror. He turned slowly around, facing away from Crimson and staring at Petrel as if she had suddenly sprouted an extra tail. "''You...!" Petrel shifted uncomfortably. She opened her jaws to speak, but Snowdrift had already launched himself at her, a writhing mass of scales and anger and flashing teeth. "You...betrayed...us!" he roared at her, clawing at her throat. Petrel vainly tried to beat him off with her wings. "Stop!" Crimson screamed. "Don't hurt her! Please!" However unpleasant Petrel had been during her five years of life, she was still her sister. Or...was she? It seemed like too much of a coincidence that she had (a) frostbreath and (b) a random IceWing claimed to be her father. Whoever this Cardinal character was, she must have been her mother. "You don't understand," Snowdrift snarled as he raked Petrel's scales with talons. "This...this SkyWing ''betrayed us! She was the one who gave us to that monster!" He pointed an accusatory claw at Firethorn. "Oh, please," she yawned. "There's no need to be so dramatic. Yes, Petrel told on you, but you did have a forbidden relationship with one of my royal guards. Now, you, and you," Firethorn pointed at a couple of other guards, "please bind this IceWing and lock him in the deepest dungeon you can find. I want him to stay there until we get some news out to Queen Icefall that her son has been misbehaving." "No!" Snowdrift roared as Bloodstone and the guards pulled him away. "Crimson! Help me!" Crimson hesitated. She looked at the bleeding Petrel, who's chest rose fast and shallow, and then at the three SkyWings who were wrestling the IceWing to the ground. "I can't," she said. And then she watched as her father was dragged away. Chapter Six From above, Silver could only watch numbly as the SkyWings yanked his father towards the Palace. He had heard the entire exchange, and it seemed very far-fetched - no, ''impossible ''- that he could be a SkyWing/IceWing hybrid. It made much more sense that an animus had cursed his egg...but here it was. The proof was staring at him in the face. He had taken the explosion as a chance to escape, at first. He had torn off the wing bindings (his bleeding wings were a proof of that) and was about to take off, but then he had noticed the raised voices and disturbance on the royal balcony. Silver's new found sister, Crimson, had taken a step back when Snowdrift called for help. ''Weakling, ''Silver thought angrily. He would have dove in himself, but it would have been suicide. Crimson had the authority of a princess. She could have ordered the guards to stop. She could have challenged Queen Firethorn. But no, she had to act like a coward and help the very same dragon who had apparently torn apart their family. Crimson looked up, and then her eyes widened. She opened her jaws to call, and Silver might have heard his name, but he was already swooping and diving away. Whoever she was, he didn't want to know her. Silver flew for a few more hours, stopping twice for a rest. He hadn't run into any more dragon, SkyWing or otherwise, and so he felt relatively safe as he curled up on an ancient redwood branch. He spent the better part of the night watching the stars and moon slowly trek across the sky. They reminded him of tiny diamonds, strewn across an obsidian backdrop. Little did Silver know, however, that NightWing eyes were watching him carefully. Chapter Seven Sableshade clutched the branch she was sitting on and stared even more fiercely at the strange IceWing. He had an unusually long neck, for an IceWing, and lacked the icicle-like ruff of horns. His mind didn't have the harsh glare of an IceWing's either; it was warm, almost comfortably warm, though that was a strange way to describe a mind. ''Should I have left? The mental voice was strong, almost powerful, and it was accomponied with a great turmoil of guilt. A memory flashed in his mind's eye; the memory of an older IceWing, a gathering of SkyWings... Sableshade stiffened as she felt another rolling wave of guilt and regret. I should have protected him, ''the drowsing IceWing's mind whispered. ''I shouldn't have let myself become the killing machine that they wanted me to be. All of those lies about my egg being cursed by an animus... Sableshade tilted her head towards the IceWing, curiosity pricking every vein in her body. What was he doing here? Why did ''he look so different? What was wrong with him? ''I should leave, ''she though finally. This dragon, whoever he was, could prove to be dangerous. ''I'll tell Tamarack and Fallenshadow, though. They'll know what to do. Tamarack growled as she leafed through the mountain of scrolls. How come she could NEVER find the right scroll, and whenever Sableshade turned out she'd make some smart remark and pull out the one she was looking for from right under nose!? It was simply, utterly aggravating, and if it happened one more time... "Oh, hello, Sableshade!" Tamarack said with forced cheerfulness. "What scroll is it this time?" Sableshade asked, peering at the pile. "The Royal SkyWing Family Tree. ''It dates all the way back to the Scorching," Tamarack said. ''Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it... "''Oh, here it is!" Sableshade exclaimed, pulling the scroll out from right underneath Tamarack's talon. She handed the scroll to Tamarack, who snatched it and muttered ungratefully. "Anyways, I just saw the weirdest dragon ever. He looked kind of like a IceWing, but his mind was really strong and really guilty about something." "Let me get this straight," Tamarack huffed, "you come over here to tell me the complicated structure of some random IceWing's ''mind?" "Yup!" Sableshade said cheerfully. "And to find your scroll for you." "You should talk to Fallenshadow about this, because if I were you I would just let this IceWing be. Alright?" Tamarack turned her back to Sableshade's crestfallen face. She relaxed when she heard Sableshade's retreating footsteps. Chapter Eight Crimson ran to Petrel's side. "Are you alright? Petrel?" "Get away from her!" Bloodstone snarled, knocking her to the side. The normally care-free SkyWing was bristling with rage and fury. "Don't touch her!" "Now, now, this is all very lovely," Firethorn said, eyes glittering with malice, "but please, let's not make an image of ourselves. There are eyes watching us from every corner." She shot pointed glares at several caves, and the SkyWings peeping outside of them shrank back with fear. "And Bloodstone, dear, you were supposed to be escorting that IceWing to the prisons." "My two guards could handle him, Mother," Bloodstone replied. He bared his teeth at Crimson, who flinched away. "Perhaps we should scour the territory for any IceWing spies, just as a precaution." "Of course," Firethorn said, neatly rearranging her golden jewelry. "Precautions are always necessary for ensuring the safety of my...dear ''subjects." She flicked a claw at Petrel, who had managed to drag herself to a sitting position. "And you, darling, please go see the infirmary. I don't want blood dripping all over my balcony. It adds quite a stench, if you get my meaning, and I could do well without it." Petrel flared her wings and bowed her head, and then she took off to the Healer's Tower, which was reserved for royal SkyWings only. Bloodstone left as well, calling over his shoulder for a few of his guards to do a quick search of the entire territory to make sure that Prince Snowdrift didn't have any other IceWings with him. Firethorn straightened her crown. "I'm sorry that your hatching day didn't go quite as planned, dear." "Don't call me that!" Crimson whirled around and snapped her teeth. She could feel tears roll down her scaled cheeks and she shut her eyes. "Don't call me ''dear, ''Firethorn. I'm not your daughter and I never wanted to be!" She took off her own crown, the crown that gave her the authority of a SkyWing princess, and hurled it at Firethorn's claws. "You never told me that I was half IceWing! You never told me about Crimson, or Snowdrift, or Silver!" "Stop blaming all of this on me, ''Crimson," Firethorn growled. "I am a queen, I keep the SkyWing blood pure, and I root out any idiot dragons who think otherwise. Speaking as such to me could be considered treason." "What happened?" Crimson snarled. For the first time in her life she felt uncontrollable rage and sadness roll through her veins. "What happened the night I hatched?" Chapter Nine "The SkyWing Palace is in upheaval," Fallenshadow said tartly to Sableshade. "As the remains of the Talons of Peace, it is our duty to make sure everything stays how it is supposed to be - peaceful and loyal to their own queens. If there is a hybrid, or at least a dragon that resembles a hybrid, bring him or her to me at once. Hybrids bring instability to kingdoms." Sableshade thought it wise to not mention that Fallenshadow herself was a hybrid of sorts. "I will," Sableshade said instead. "Do you mean, like, right here? In the library?" "No, of course not! In my throneroom. As the leader of the Talons, I must be addressed in my place of authority." Fallenshadow swept her wings majestically to their full lengths and made her way to the door. "And do hurry. I have a tight schedule, and it goes against instinct for me to do anything against it." Sableshade ducked her head and half flew, half jogged to the side door. The strange IceWing was still there, but he was gradually waking up as the sun rose. He yawned, displaying a set of white teeth, and then he blinked, seeing her for the first time. His first reaction was one of horror, and then he took off into the air. "Wait, wait!" Sableshade yelled after him. She flapped her own star-speckled wings and followed the IceWing, but he was somehow going incredibly faster. "I don't want to hurt you! I just want to talk! Stupid dragon," she growled under her breath. Sableshade usually was very easygoing (for a NightWing), but some dragons just asked for their tails to be singed. What do you want? Who are you? ''echoed in the IceWing's mind as he flew past a cloud. "My name is Sableshade! What's your's?" This was a trick that she had mastered. If you asked a question, dragons usually thought the answer, even if they didn't want to. Such a trick worked perfectly in this kind of situation. ''DON'T THINK IT, DON'T THINK THAT MY NAME IS SILVER, DON'T THINK IT... So his name was Silver. Sableshade flapped harder. "Silver! Wait!" Get out of my mind, ''he thought fiercely back at her. "I can't just shut it off!" Sableshade shouted. The wind took away most of her words and knocked her off course. "Did you have anything to do with the Sky Kingdom's upheaval!?" She had to use all of her breath to make herself heard. The IceWing/SkyWing froze in midair and whipped around to face her. "How do you know about what's happening in the Sky Kingdom? It's only just happened." He bared his teeth at her, daring her to come closer. "Not that I would listen to a ''NightWing." ''His revulsion was clear in his mind. "There's no need to be rude," Sableshade said, feeling hurt. "I'm with the Talons of Peace. We have spies everywhere." "NightWing spies, I'm sure," Silver growled. "And why would you care about what I had to do with the current state of craziness in the Sky Kingdom? I'm just a lowly gladiator." He showed off his bleeding wings, a testament to how he had ripped off the well-known and much-hated wing bindings. Sableshade winced as an image of a colossal explosion appeared in Silver's mind. "Did you start that explosion?" "What? No! Do I look like someone who'd do that?" He flapped his wings so that he could gain altitude, putting himself at an advantage. ''And I thought I told you to get out of my head! "I told you already, I can't help it!" Sablesahde ducked as a piece of debris went swirling towards her head. "Why are you following me, anyways?" Silver asked suspiciously. "The leader of the Talons - her name is Fallenshadow, by the way - would like to see you," Sableshade explained. "She thinks hybrids bring instability to the Kingdoms." Silver let out a roar of fury, and Sableshade realised that was the exact WRONG thing to say. Stupid, stupid, stupid, ''she thought fiercely to herself, ''I have to watch the big mouth of mine. The IceWing flipped in the air and began flying again, this time faster than Sableshade could ever have dreamed of. He flew right through a cloud and ducked down towards the snow of the Ice Kingdom. Oh, three moons, ''Sableshade thought as she dived towards the ground. ''I'm in the Ice Kingdom. '' And there was a platoon of IceWings coming right her way. Chapter Ten There were times in Sableshade's life where she wondered how it was that whenever she went to a foreign kingdom, some sort of guards or whatever found her within three minutes. This was one of those times. There were roughly seventeen IceWings, all of them with a bright glare in their minds, unlike Silver. When so many of them were so close together it was like trying to stare down a mirror in full sunlight. ''The dragons of my father's tribe! ''she heard Silver think excitedly. And then he shot her a nasty glare. ''I know that you heard that, you conniving NightWing. '' Now that was just rude. She was certainly not conniving, and he should of learned that no one should judge a scroll by its casing. ''Focus, Sableshade! she reprimanded herself. There is a real-life, actual problem flying right towards you. Seventeen problems, to be exact. Sableshade shivered and tried to turn around, but by then the IceWings were already there, zipping and flipping and flying dizzying circles around them. "What an interesting couple," the leader hissed. "We are not a couple!" Silver protested. "She's just following me all around the continent for some reason and I've been trying and trying to get rid of her." "That's a shame," a female IceWing said, flapping her wings once to steady herself. "You look so cute together." Sableshade didn't know to feel incredibly flattered at terribly offended at this statement, but it certainly embarrassed her. If Silver had RainWing scales, he would have turned a bright, glowing scarlet. His mind went, I would never like a NightWing anyways, no matter how pret - ''he glared at her, cutting off his line of thoughts. The IceWings continued to fly around them, flashing snowy white to ice blue scales. The leader growled and they all came to a halt, glaring at the two. "Land," he commanded, showing off pointed teeth. Sableshade responded instantly and let herself plummet to the freezing cold slush below. Once they had all landed, the leader let out a plume of frostbreath. "So, we have a NightWing with the teardrop scales of mind reading, and with her an IceWing. Or something that looks like an IceWing." He prodded Silver's scales, as if expecting them to vanish and reveal a polar bear underneath. "What is wrong with you? Where is your ruff of icicle horns?" Silver drew himself up a bit taller. "I am the son of Prince Snowdrift, who is the son of Queen Icefall. My name is Silver, and I am an IceWing." "Prince Snowdrift didn't have any dragonets," the female IceWing that had spoken before growled. "And certainly none that would look like a misfit and a hybrid." Sableshade watched as Silver flinched at the word 'misfit.' "I-I'm...I'm half SkyWing," Silver admitted, looking shamefacedly at his talons. "I was a gladiator in Queen Firethorn's arena until I escaped." "You dare suggest that our prince tainted IceWing blood?" the female roared, clawing at the slushy snow with serrated talons. "Calm, Firn," the leader said. "It's true, it's true!" Silver said frantically. ''Why won't they believe me? "Snowdrift went to the Sky Palace to take me and my sister back to the Ice Kingdom, but he was captured by Queen Firethorn's royal guards. I was outnumbered, and I thought that if I came here I could organise a rescue mission. To save my father." Sableshade winced. It was clear that Silver was telling the truth - or what he believed to be the truth, anyways - but none of the IceWings looked convinced or even remotely interested. Firn continued to lash the snow with her claws and tail, as well as some others, but the leader remained calm. "You seem to have very little to say, NightWing," he said, turning cold eyes onto Sableshade. "Why have you followed this alleged Prince Silver, when you know that you would be killed instantly on IceWing territory?" After these words, the phrase Great Ice Cliff ''echoed throughout every IceWing mind. Sableshade shuddered. "I'm just trying to..." Great. Now what was she supposed to say? Capture him and take him to her leader, who happened to be the leader of the Talons of Peace? "Well, I'm a spy," Sableshade finished lamely. "I was just practising." She regretted the words instantly, because they seemed to send the wrong message. Even more hostility rose in the platoon's eyes. "A spy, you say?" the commander asked. "Who would trust a spy, or a NightWing, for that matter? And who, may I ask, do you spy for?" It was clear that he didn't believe a word of what Sableshade said. "The NightWing throne," Sableshade answered. "You mean the RainWing throne," Firn corrected. "Queen Glorious is Queen Glory's descendant, remember. She still rules the NightWings." Sableshade winced. Queen Glorious was exactly why she had left and joined the Talons. "So Glorious thinks that she can spy on the IceWings, now does she?" the commander snarled. "Blizzard, Ice Storm, seize the NightWing spy and throw her in the coldest prison we have." "What about the Great Ice Cliff, sir?" one of them asked. "Use the Bracelet of Safe Passage," the commander snapped. "Here it is." "What about this one?" the other guard asked, nudging Silver with one hooked claw. "He can't stay here." "He can have the prison cell ''next ''to this NightWing. The second coldest prison we have," the commander responded dismissively. "Now, NightWing, I suggest that you don't try to escape, unless you want to have those starry wings of your shredded to bits and the rest of you frozen into an ice cube." He signalled something with his wings, and then they took off into the cold air. Firethorn shrieked with rage, a sound that Crimson registered through dazed ears. She felt the talons of the SkyWing queen rake across her face, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. "Your title is revoked because of your banishment!" she roared, shoving Crimson off of the balcony. "Leave the Sky Kingdom, or I will find you and do what I should have done five years ago!" Crimson felt tears welling in her eyes as she flapped frantically away. Well, one of the eyes was welling with tears. The other one was clawed shut and clogged with blood, giving her a sickening, throbbing feeling in her head. ''Where will I go? Where should I stay? '' Number one off the list was the Sky Kingdom, and tied for second was the Ice Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sand. The RainWings and NightWings wouldn't welcome a SkyWing/IceWing hybrid in their peaceful, carefree life in the rainforest. The Kingdom of the Sea was out of question, because most of it was underwater. The Mud Kingdom. The MudWings were the kindest, friendliest dragons, living in family bands with the bigwings as their sort of commander. She could settle near the Diamond Spray Delta, where only the peasants dwelled, and attract as little attention as possible. There she could nurse her wounds and recover from the shock of this place. ''Diamond Spray Delta, here I come. Chapter Eleven It was incredibly, terribly, superbly cold in the dungeon. Sableshade's breath clouded in her face as she coughed up some flame, trying to keep herself warm. "So, can you breathe fire or frostbreath?" she asked Silver from across the bars, making a brave stab at conversation. Silver snorted. "Fire. Couldn't you read my mind?" "It doesn't work like that," Sableshade said. "I can't just dig around in your head to find any useful tidbit I care to look at. I can only hear what you're thinking at the moment." She heard him mumble something about skyfire, and she ruffled her wings with annoyance. "That's cheating." "What, skyfire? No, it's a necessary precaution." Silver glared at her. "But there isn't any around anymore." Sableshade shivered and tucked her wings close against her back. "Three moons, it's cold," she said out loud, just in case anyone cared to listen. "Of course it is," Silver said rudely. "It's the Ice Kingdom. What did you expect?" But while he said this, his mind went, she looks cold. Really, really cold. I wonder if I could get the guard to bring a polar bear fur blanket down here. "Oh, that would be just perfect," Sableshade said, teeth chattering against one another. She let another flame sputter and die out. Silver didn't seem bothered by the subzero temperature whatsoever, in fact he seemed to kind of enjoy it. "I think I'm going to get frostbite soon enough." Her jaws stretched in a wide yawn, and Silver suddenly shot up. "Don't fall asleep!" he said fiercely. "Why not?" Sableshade asked, feeling drowsier by the minute. "Haven't you heard the stories of dragons so cold that they fall asleep and never wake up again?" Silver asked, rattling the chains in an effort to keep her awake. "You have to stay awake, you have to." But it was so incredibly hard...soft feathers of sleepiness fluttered to Sableshade, lulling her into a soothing warmth that couldn't be found for miles outside these ice walls. The only distraction she had was Silver's concerned thoughts, trying desperately to keep her awake. "I know, just start talking! Talk as loud as you can!" Silver suggested quickly. "I'll ask a question, and you answer. What's your name?" "Sableshade," she mumbled. "Sableshade. Can you hear me?" "Ye-es." The word was punctuated by a loud yawn. "Where do you live?" "Claws of...of...the Cllllllllooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddddddssssssssssssss..." That did it. Her eyes closed to a shut and Sableshade curled into a deep, warm slumber. WIPCategory:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Fanfictions Category:Content (Mist the Moon Dragon) Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)